Nablus

(Historic Map)

NB:
Dates, where given, are according to both Muslim and Christian calendars
with the Muslim year preceding the Christian one thus: 1176/1672-73. Since
the two calendars rarely coincide the Christian equivalent is not usually
exact.

# 31 is the location of the old Samaritan Synagogue.

The synagogue is no longer in use my the Samaritan-Israelites. A new
synagogue was built on Mount Gerizim and also two exist in Holon.

The great Samaritan reformer Baba Rabba left a great impression on Samaritan-Israelites and
their history. He was named ‘Baba ha-Gadol’ (the Great
Baba meaning the great Gate). We are told he was born in Samaria in the 4th century C. E.
and was the eldest son of
the Levite (a descendant of Aaron) High
Priest Nethanel (300-332 C.E.). Information concerning Rabbah Baba comes to
us from Samaritan sources, the Tolidah, the Book of Joshua, the Kitab
al-Ta’rikh of Abul Fath and the New Chronicle. Among his many accomplishments,
he built and established eight synagogues
in various locals in the land of Israel. But where are the remains
of these structures?

Samaritan Chronicles inform us that the synagogues were
constructed in the same manner as the Basrah synagogue (A
Samaritan Chronicle, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Brill, Leiden, 1981, p.71.)
Apparently, this synagogue is said to have been built in the Era of favor (Rahuta), these
were the early years after the Israelites entered into the land of Canaan.
To my knowledge the location of this
synagogue with its earth floor is unknown today. Interesting is the fact that
discovered Samaritan synagogues are known to have mosaic floors (See the
article in Biblical Archaeology Review, may/June 1998, How to Tell
a Samaritan Synagogue from a Jewish Synagogue by Reinhard Pummer, and the
article by David Landau, Ancient Synagogues in the Holy Land-What
Synagogues).

John Bowman (Samaritan Documents Relating to their
History and Life, Pickwick Press, Pitt, Penn. 1977) and Jeffrey Cohen
(A Samaritan Chronicle, E. J. Brill, Leiden, 1981) have a list of
the locations of the eight synagogues from Samaritan Chronicles. Cohen's
book appears to be just a little more details from his manuscript than Bowman's on the
synagogue locations. But Cohen gives no extra information on the buildings
or cities. Maybe he had planned a
separate article or book on the locations. No complete writing as of yet
links any discovered remains with Rabba's synagogues. Here are the two lists from
each book.

Bowman

Cohen

1. ‘Awarta-
Baba Rabba lived there.

1. Kwfr ‘Amartah- east of Shechem

2. Salem

2.
Beth-Nimrah

3. Namara

3.
Qryth
Hagah- southern direction, opposite the town ‘Skor. Pool still exists,
house in ruins.

4. Kirya
Hajja

4. Qryth
Tirah

5. Karawa

5.
Saba’rin
of Shephelah

6. Tira
Luza

6.
Salem
eastward of Shechem, opposite of the mount in a north-east direction.

7. Dabarin

7.
Beth
Dagen, east of the mount in a northern direction

8.
Bait
Gan

8.
Synagogue
of the Stone between Elon More and mount Gerizim 360 chambers built south
of the sepulcher of Joseph’s tomb.

Bowman and Cohen also give some names of the
sages that were placed in charge of the synagogues. Each of the two books only
give us seven sages which may mean the Baba Rabba or more likely the reigning
High Priest took charge of the eighth
synagogues. The information may also help in identifying the synagogues'
locations.

Bowman

Cohen

1.
Arub’I,
a descendant of Ithamar and he was the Haftawi and his limit was from Bait
Kabiha in the great plain

1.
Srwb’y
means fruit of my desire, he was Habtah, descendant of Ithamar, his
territory from the shade of the great plain.

2.
Jose
an Israelite from Kefer Sabla

2.
Ywzby Ysr’ly lived in Kwfr Yslh

3.
Al-Yanah
from Sarafin

3.
‘lyn’h Srpyn

4.
Kahin
Levi from Zaita

4.
Levite
from Zyth

5.
Israelite
from Kefer Maruth

5.
Israelite
from Kfwr Mrwt

6.
Amram
Darir a priest from Kefar Safasah, father of Markah

6.
Amram,
Levite from Kwfr Sp’sh, father of Marqah

7.
Israelite,
no name mentioned

7.
An
Israelite

One interesting piece in the history of the Nablus synagogue found on page
83 of The Continuatio of the Samaritan Chronicle of Abu L-Fath Al-Samiri
Al-danafi by Milka Levy-Rubin, explains how the synagogue that had
been burnt down was rebuilt without wood, except for the middle building.
The fact that it is mentioned that it was built without wood may follow the
same pattern as a Rabba synagogue. Milka assumes that this synagogue was
burnt down during one of the rebel raids (page 32). It would be
interesting to locate all eight synagogues and see if they all have the
same dimensions. Some links to possibilities of Samaritan synagogues have
been added below in this issue. It would be interesting to see if any of
our readers can possibly link an excavation to any of the eight
synagogues. The Samaritan-Israelites have continued to use the
synagogue as their house of Prayer to this day.

Qumran and the
Samaritans

By Shomron

In the past few months I have had numerous
inquires concerning the book by Thord and Maria Thordson, Qumran and
the Samaritans. The interest appears to be derived from their personal studies
and interests in early Christian sects in the land of Israel. The interest
of the Essenes have intrigued the world since the discovery of the Dead
Sea Scrolls in 1947. A couple of the scrolls bear a close connection with
Samaritan-Israelites writings. This in turn adds a fascination of the
sect and its revelations of similarities of the Samaritans. These
similarities are very plainly revealed in Thordsons' book. Not only
does this book compare doctrines between the Essenses and Samaritans but
also the Jews and Kariates. It is a one of a kind book but sorry, it may
be hard to find. I would suggest a library loan!
Note: I have often wondered if the sect of the Essenes were in fact an off
sect of the Dositheans!

--------

Joseph Patrich, "Church, State and the Transformation of Palestine -
the Byzantine Period (324 - 640 CE)", in Thomas E. Levy (ed) Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land,
Leicester University press, London 1995.

Samaritan synagogues

Excavated sites number about seven. Others are known from the literary
sources). Samaritan synagogues are aligned with their facade or their rear
wall toward Mount Gerizim. The recently excavated fourth-fifth century
synagogues of el-Khirbe and Khirbet Samra, show a unique plan, never
encountered before. They are rectangular halls, entered through a single
door and roofed by a vault. The longitudinal walls are therefore ca. twice
as thick as the short ones. Stone benches are built along the walls. It
appears that the Samaritan synagogues underwent later a development
similar to the Jewish synagogues in terms of the final prevalence of the
Christian basilical type, and the introduction of an apse for the
placement of the Ark. The sixth century synagogue of Beth Shean is
basilical in plan, with two colonnades and an apse which is facing away
from Mount Gerizim. The plan of the Zur Nathan (and Ramat Aviv?)
synagogues was similar, except that a small apse in the rear wall faced
eastward - towards Mount Gerizim.

Beit She'an - A Biblical
City and Scythopolis - A Roman-Byzantine City

This
synagogue was also located at tel Itztaba, outside the northern part of the
Byzantine city wall of Scythopolis. The building was excavated in 1960. Its
plan was basilical, with an apse oriented northwest, not towards Jerusalem.
The mosaic floor had floral and geometrical motifs, but no human or animal
images. The square carpet in front of the apse depicts an aedicule (shrine)
supported by columns and covered with a parochet (curtain). On both
sides of the aedicule are identical presentations of cultic symbols: menorah
(candelabrum), shofar (ram's horn) and incense shovel. One of the
inscriptions in the mosaic floor is in Greek, but written in Samaritan
script, which led to the surmise that the building was a Samaritan
synagogue.http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0k480

With the outbreak of the Bar Kokhba Revolt,
Jabneh ceased to be the center of Jewish life in Erez Israel and the
Diaspora. After the war, unsuccessful attempts were made to transfer the
Sanhedrin from Galilee back to Jabneh (RH 31a-b). A strong Jewish element
remained in the city, but the Samaritans constituted the majority (Tosef.,
Dem. 1:13). A Samaritan inscription belonging to a synagogue was
discovered there.
http://servus.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/094discuss.html

-------------

In the Encyclopaedia Judaica, (1972, v. 4, p. 719)
under Bet(H)-Dagon '...Beth-Dagon located by Eusebius (Onom. 50:16)
between Diospolis (Lydda) and Jamnia (Jabneh)," but called by him Kefar
Dagon. The original name appears on the Madaba Map in the form (Bet)odegana.
It was populated by Samaritans, who built a synagogue there in the fourth
century; their presence is still attested to in the tenth century. The
crusaders erected a castle there, known as Casal Moyen or Castellum de
Maen, i.e., "midway" between Jaffa and Ramleh,..'

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